The Tea Party set for Okanagan return

Canadian rock band The Tea Party, who were among the stars at Rock The Lake last year, are back in the Okanagan.

They play the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre on Thursday Nov. 16.

Part of the gig includes a unique VIP experience alongside I Mother Earth, where the two bands jam together for a select live audience before their respective main performances.

The Tea Party drummer and percussionist Jeff Burrows joined Ryan from 104.7 The LIZARD for a chat. Here’s an edited version of their conversation.

Ryan: You’re on a cross Canada tour. Is there a different response from the crowds in eastern Canada versus western Canada?

Jeff Burrows: Oh, definitely, especially your Montreals, Quebec Citys, they’re a very passionate people. I think Quebec stands firm from the passion part, but I mean [elsewhere] we’re getting moshes and stuff again, it’s just bizarre. I’m like, ‘don’t hurt your hips. Don’t fall down!’ Maybe it’s the parents’ kids, I don’t know.

Ryan: Can you think off the top of your head how often you’ve played in the Okanagan during your career?

Jeff: With you guys, it’s been at least 20 times. You’ve got to remember, before we got our [record] deal, we went across this country 13 times in four different vans. We played in shows in Penticton or Kelowna in front of, you know, 18 people, then 58 people, then 108 people. It’s been a slow natural growth. And then of course once you get a bit of label backing, back in the day it really helped, and videos of course really helps.

Ryan: We’ve heard from our listeners and talked about it a lot, The Tea Party was hands down the highlight of Rock The Lake [2022].

Jeff: I remember that show because I remember looking at the elevator doors and [the posters] highlighting Flock of Seagulls, The Beach Boys and us, headlining on the three nights. If I was 16 years old knowing that was my band I’d just be freaking the hell out because how crazy is that? It’s such a wide spectrum of music, from the 50/60s to the 80s to the 90s. Wow, I just thought it was fantastic!

Ryan: Do you remember when you first hear yourself played on the radio?

Jeff: Yup. I was in Grade 7. I was in band with [The Tea Party frontman] Jeff Martin, my brother, and another guy who still plays today – he’s a school principal – and it was on our local hometown FM radio station. Here were a bunch of kids being spun on a commercial radio station. I was a kid, I was pretty flabbergasted. Then I went to my hockey game.

Ryan: That’s a very Canadian story.

Jeff: Yeah. That [feeling] never gets old. If we release something new and you hear it and the compression is just right over the system and nice and fat, you’re just like, ‘oh yeah, that doesn’t get old, that’s so cool.’

Ryan: So, what can the fine folk of the Okanagan expect from the concert?

Jeff: It’s such a fun night. There’s nothing serious about it, it’s just two bands having a really good time on stage. We guarantee it’ll be outstanding, especially this VIP thing which we’ve never done before. I love it.